to think it's rude to block the pavement?

[JeanneDeMontbaston]

I really don't think I am BU. I live in a touristy city full of bikes, so it's not a good idea to step off the pavement into the road (not that it really is anywhere), and there are groups of vacant-looking idiots clumping up all over the pavements. I mean, FFS, I know you are all in a group and have therefore turned into sheep, but couldn't you notice and move?

I am BU today, because I am getting sick of politely saying 'excuse me' and getting shocked looks from teenage tour groups who stare back as if you've asked them to scale the Himalayas instead of moving a foot back. And I walked through people's photos. Yes, I am a mean person, and yes, I did hear a woman with a huge camera tutting because I didn't wait for her nicely.

If you wish, you can give me a kicking, but I am secretly hoping you will join me in my hatred of humankind.

[CosmicDespot]

YANBU

[JeanneDeMontbaston]

Thank you. Balm to my irritated soul (and shoulders).

[LuisSuarezTeeth]

Fart spray.

Instant dispersal.

Job done.

[everybodysang]

I used to live in Cambridge. This was day to day life. Before that I worked in Covent Garden. That was even worse. I used to rage, rage, rage every time I had to go anywhere. It is SO ANNOYING.

[Behindthepaintedgarden]

YANBU. I used to work near a popular tourist attraction and I got so fed up, during my lunch hour, of having to navigate my way around large groups of Americans all standing in the middle of the pavement consulting a map.

Because me and my friends would never, ever do this when we're abroad. Oh no

[sarascompact]

YANBU and I'd lay a pound to a penny that the city you're speaking of has an M&S food which is accessed by a quaint former churchyard passageway with a flint stone arch.

I'll happily join you. If you can supply the poison arrows I'll meet you by M&S tomorrow morning and deal with the irritants too! After years as a resident of the city I learned to try a clear "Excuse me please" the first time, a very loud repetition the second time but if that failed the only thing left is to go in with the elbows!

[MadameOvary]

YANBU. Gives me the rage.

[sofatastic]

That and the efl students cycling the wrong way up the in-road cycle lanes. Grrr.

[stubbornstains]

(sigh). YANBU at all.....I used to work with teenage tour groups too, and had only a few days to attempt to instil some kind of awareness of other people on the street into them....a thankless task. They always "got" London Tube etiquette quicker though- perhaps because Londoners are capable of giving off truly terrifying vibes if you stand on the wrong side of the escalator.

[JeanneDeMontbaston]

It does, sara.

I have been trying the 'excuse me please'. I get blank looks. I am fairly sure these are English tour groups from English schools. I'm also fairly sure the ones who aren't, probably could manage to pick up the implication even if (vanishingly unlikely) they don't speak a single word of the language.

Grrrr!

And what is with those people who walk backwards into the road holding their cameras and don't even notice the cylists narrowly failing slamming into them?!

[everybodysang]

aaaah sarascompact elbows most definitely necessary around that corner. So...satisfying.

[CosmicDespot]

i grew up in a part of London which hosts an annual sporting event which attracts many thousands of fans. I moved to the middle of nowhere, and the tourists have discovered my village. They can be quite, erm, inconsiderate, ime.

[JeanneDeMontbaston]

I feel your pain, cosmic.

All this shared irritation is very soothing.

[Coffeethrowtrampbitch]

Yanbu. I live two minutes from a large shopping centre, which is full of blank eyed zombies whom I have to walk round, as regardless of whether I am pregnant, pushing a pram or recovering from brain surgery expecting anyone to get out of my way is clearly unreasonable. Expecting them not to find the narrowest choke point and cluster in a group, preventing anyone from walking past, is also bu.

I can't wait for the zombie apocalypse when I can legitimately stab them in the head.

[MrsBojingles]

YANBU. I used to live in a tourist hotspot. Maddening.

[sarascompact]

I thought as much Jeanne. Some cities are recognisable by their architecture, some by their culture. That one's recognisable by the number of irritating cyclists and camera-clickers it contains!

I'm not a native of the city. People are a little more direct where I come from. This might explain the escalating sound of the request "Excuse me please. Ahem. EXCUSE ME PLEASE! EXCUUUUUUUUUSE ME PL... oh! For pity's sakes! GET OUT THE F**KING WAY" when I'm trying to navigate those streets!

[JeanneDeMontbaston]

I admit, when I'm really annoyed I find myself muttering FFS at them. Which is probably terrible. But, but ...

[RattieofCatan]

YADNBU. I was in a very similar city earlier today. Hot lunch in hand, just bought, going to a nice green space to eat it with a group of tourists clumped up in front of me taking over the entire path in one of the narrower streets as they walked along at a snails pace, completely ignoring my "excuse me please"... "excuse me please"... And then they just stop dead in front of me and my lunch nearly ended up all over my bloody coat

DP read your OP and says that he regularily walks through ppeople taking numerous photos in stupid places. I've seen people walk straight in front of cyclists in the cycle lane along the seafront on many an occasion too.

I don't mind considerate people who take photos and stop to look at things, but FFS look around you before you start blocking bike paths and pathways.

[RiverTam]

what drives me nuts is when a gaggle of people walk up the stairs to exit the tube and then STOP DEAD AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS, completely blocking the exit. Get out of the way, you fools!!!!

[MehsMum]

I know the city whereof you speak...

I used to live there, in a particularly touristy spot. At first I was shocked by the brazen way those who'd been there a year or two would waltz through the middle of people's photos, cut through milling mobs of EFL students and bellow 'EXCUSE ME' as they approached particularly scenic spots jammed with tourists.

Within about 6 months, I had sharp elbows and a loud voice. That didn't help the day someone stepped off the pavement right in front of my bike, but she was terribly apologetic and neither of us was hurt.

So YANBU. At all.

[JeanneDeMontbaston]

Oh yes.

Or those people who, when it's raining, come inside and stop to fold up their umbrellas. While you're behind them in the wet.

[JeanneDeMontbaston]

Oh, gosh, meh, that gives me the shudders. I keep seeing people do that - not seen anyone hit anyone yet, but it must happen.

[YesIDidMeanToBeSoRudeActually]

I feel your rage...and offer you the hell of shopping or being in a public place in a wheelchair.

People stopping dead in front of you with no warning...people blocking the only access point you have...people parking their cars on dropped kerbs so have you to wheel a massive detour to cross the road...people not hearing "excuse me please" because you're low down...it's worse when you repeat "excuse me please" politely, then have to raise your voice and they look at you like you've done a dump on their DCs heads...last week (in a very very busy lush shop!) a complete stranger actually got hold of my chair to wheel me around an obstruction, without asking or warning me..well meaning but fucking rude...

I have to stop as I can feel my blood pressure rising at the thought of it.

[Stinkle]

YANBU!

I also live in a touristy area and my patience ran out about 5 years ago

I try to be nice and patient, as our local economy really relies on holiday makers, and I can live with not being able to park anywhere from May to September, not being able to get near the beach, or it taking forever to get anywhere, but after dodging the 10th crowd of pavement blockers and waiting for the 50th photo to be taken in 10 minutes I do get a bit fed up

[stubbornstains]

I think in your position I would have to carry a knitting needle around rude, backs of knees for the poking of....